Day #1 PhilosophersNotes Challenge-The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

Wow..the Four Agreements! Short, but POWERFUL book. I'll start with the 4 Agreements:
#1- Be impeccable with your word. (Do what you SAY you're gonna do)
#2- Don't take anything personally!
#3- Don't make assumptions (not from the book, but spell ASSUME...makes an ASS out of U and ME!)
#4- Always do your best.
Yes, these concepts are simple, but check out this quote by Ruiz," Nothing other people do is because of YOU; it is because of THEMSELVES.  Get it?
Did somebody say something nasty and unwarranted to you? Is that really a reflection of who YOU are or who THEY are in that moment? Let is SLIDE off.  Mom used to say "put your Crisco on" and I'd mentally prepare myself when having to be exposed to toxic people to let their comments and criticisms "SLIDE" right off of me- much like water slides off a duck's back! Ridiculous image, I know...but it works when I remember to "think" like that!

Besides listening to the notes and being mindful for what I'm grateful for on gratitudelog, I'm also trying to add more WATER and daily exercise to the challenge....yeah, not sure if this is in direct conflict with Agreement #1 because I have hardly had a glass of water today. Might be trying to hold myself accountable to a little too much ontop of all my other responsibilities. I can't help it...I am just a "shoot for the moon, and even if you miss, you'll land amongst the stars" kinda gal!  No water means I'm dehydrated, but we had a lovely dinner, all the laundry is done, lunches made, orders assimilated to be worked on tomorrow...dehydrated, but happy! haha!

OK, back to the note! Being a pleaser it is hard for me to say NO, so #1 Be impeccable with your word totally resonated with me as a weakness of mine. I do completely tell the truth, but sometimes I cannot meet all the obligations I volunteer for, or fail to decline gracefully. I try to do too much, put myself in a quandry, and will stay up until all hours of the night to see that it gets done. Jamming yourself up because you can't say a polite, firm, "NO" doesn't do anyone good! Gonna work on that starting NOW.
#2 Loved the mantra "I'm totally independent of the good or bad opinion others have of me" was also very powerful.  This ties in so well with not taking things personally and believing that what people say about you reveals more about THEM than YOU. Thicker skin in 2010!
#3 Loved the reminders of CANI- Constant and Neverending Improvement from Tony Robbins, and the philosophy of Kaizen. So much goodness in this note, you could spend all 50 days dissecting and mastering just the highlights of the note. Happy to be on this journey with my Mom, my sister, and 1500 like minded souls! Bring on Day #2! Brian, YOU ROCK buddy! Thanks for your CANI-KAIZEN-ARETE-liciousness!

If you dig this summary of The Four Agreements and would like to download a free PhilosophersNote, you can get yours here.   Sweet Dreams! xox, Electra